Hello, I am new here but thought you guys may be able to help. I was driving down the freeway and all of a sudden my 1996 Legacy Outback lost power and died. It did not die right away, I was able to pull 3 lanes over and get it on the shoulder. Once I got to the shoulder it completely died and won't fire back up. It will turn over and sputter a few times and that's it. 

Something tells me it may be the timing belt (crossing my fingers it's not). Hoping for a cheaper fix like a vacuum hose.

what do you guys think it may be?

Pull the cover off the timing belt to confirm that it has not broken. It may have just jumped a couple of teeth, or belt tensioner has gone bad.

Could be a fuel pump failure but my first guess is the timing belt.

Hi and Welcome,

 

 

'96 OB had a 2.5 w/the AT and 2.2 w/the 5-speed. 2.2 is NON-interference - if you're so lucky?

 

Also, should be be a CODE stored in the ECU, get a hold of an OBDII scanner and check it.

 

TD

That fact that it didn't die right away, and that it sputters a bit when attempting to restart rules out timing belt for me. But trying to diagnose any further than that with the information here is pointless, IMO.

 

 

Engines need compression, fuel, and spark (at the right time) to run. Diagnose those three things separately, then get a code reader to check for any diagnostic codes.

Thanks guys I appreciate it. Gonna pull the belt cover and make sure that's ok.

A fuel pump failure will cause that. Unhook the air filter box and spray a small amount of starting fluid directly into the screen (ahead of the actual air filter) then try cranking it. If it fires briefly then dies, your fuel pump is probably bad. 

 

No need to pull timing cover. Remove upper most right bolt off cover, then pull cover back about 1/2". You'll either see the belt on the cam sprocket or you won't (SOHC), otherwise look behind the DOHC cover.

Edited April 8, 20169 yr by Bushwick